Cher and Christina Aguilera – Burlesque

Guest Author - Kevin Thorburn

Bright lights, sultry, smoldering music, sexy girls wearing frills, feathers and not much more – welcome to Burlesque. What gets your heart racing or settles you down? Cher and Christina Aguilera headline the movie and its soundtrack - the beautiful people have the mixes that will entertain you.

Cher has an undeniable sexy poutiness to her voice and a way which she rolls notes off her tongue that you will always know that it is Cher. In "Welcome to Burlesque" there is the signature depth in her tone. We know she has her own unique lyrical range which, in some circles, may not seem to be expansive, but she is a master of her abilities.

Her other song on the soundtrack, "You Haven't Seen the Last of Me," seems to tell the tale to the point in her life right now and shares a message of strength that people need, but is often missing in songs today.

Like a passing of a torch song, Burlesque highlights Christina Aguilera. Even though it may not seem that she needs any such forum, this really does introduce a face to the public to go with that huge voice. Hearing her sing makes you need to see the girl in concert, if only to verify such richness can come from that tiny frame.

Light and playful, sweet and innocent combined with dark and heavy, seductive and skilled, hearing her on the soundtrack, you realize this performance would not have been possible a few years ago because the life experience she now has comes through.

"Express," the lead single from the soundtrack, is reminiscent of Christina's album Stripped, but with a modern throb that sets it apart from the other songs on the soundtrack.

Opening the CD and movie by tackling an Etta James song is an ambitious undertaking that Aguilera seems to pull off with ease. "Something's Got a Hold on Me" demands your attention, but the backing vocals distract more than contribute to the number.

Who else but these two women could of pull off, or rather, peel off the layers to this soundtrack to the bare essentials that makes Burlesque an exclusive piece of Americana? No one else; this is their album and their show. Burlesque is a disc that has a part in any library, delivering a mix of everything, with doses of flair and substance that will drive its play count skyward.